Bird
by eragonone
Summary: Bird was a character that was discovered aboard Destiny in my book Three years and counting. She helped Eli create a new atrium and tried to heal Dr Parks sight. In a terrible fight aboard the ship Bird was almost killed but saved by an ascended being and hidden on a planet far away alone. This is her story
1. Chapter 1

This is my new story…were going to leave Eli for a time and see what happens to bird…

Chapter one: Birds Story

Birds threw herself back on the grass and watched the receding ball of light fade and then disappear completely.

"Great… Great… Great!" She shouted at the now small wink of light in the sky. "I know you can hear me!" She shouted again, arms gesturing wildly. "You can't just leave me here!" Bird took a breath and sighed. She dropped her arms heavily on the grass and looked like a petulant teenager. After a few more minutes she got up and looked around.

Bird realised she must be in a glade, which meant she was either in a wood or a forest. The grass was a luscious and surrounded by leafy green trees. The air was warm and sultry and she could hear the buzzing of insects. She looked around her to see if there was any sort of path that she could use but there wasn't. Bird took a breath, which meant that either she was away from civilisation or there wasn't any at all. Great, she thought to herself, so she really was on her own. She stood with her hands on her hips wondering what her next move should be. In the glade she was protected but she had no food or water and those were her first priorities. She looked up at the blue sky, at least that was a familiar sight, of sorts and looked at the sun. It was high in the sky so she decided it must be the middle of this planets day, however long that was. She guessed then that she had a few hours at least to find shelter, food and water. She was going to find it hard though, she could no longer rely on her abilities to help her. Bird struck out towards the tree line and listened before walking a little further around stopped and listened again, still not happy she walked a little further again she stopped and listened, finally hearing the thing she was listening for. A smile crossed her face and she began to walk through the trees. The sound she had been listening for became louder and louder… the sound of water. Bird rushed through the forest. She stepped through a clump of trees and became aware of nothing but fresh air and just a few feet ahead of her was a sheer drop. Bird stopped where she was with a sudden intake of breath, realising how close she had come to going over the edge. A cold sweat enveloped her and a trickle rolled down between her shoulder blades making her shudder. Not having her abilities was going to be tough going and she would have to take more care and thought. Slowly she inched forward and looked over the edge. With dismay she could see it was a long way down and she was going to have to either traverse the cliff… not an option… or work her way down slowly following the edge of the path and the forest. Well that was decided for her, it was going to be a long walk and looking up at the sun, and it wouldn't be too long before the evening would approach. Bird needed to get down to the water, find shelter and food before nightfall. She turned back into the forest to follow the lie of the land until she reached the bottom of the cliff and her precious water.

Bird pushed through branches and scrub, each twig seeming to be deliberately scratching and grabbing at her clothes. Bird was frustrated and annoyed along with hot and bothered. She battered at the branches as they tore at her delicate skin, each inch a struggle to gain. Finally after an hour of thrashing and fighting her way, she suddenly came out of the trees onto a small grassy bank. She looked back at the innocent looking trees and decided she wouldn't be going that way again. Following the bank she eventually came to a part of the small river that formed a pool of slow moving water and looking into it Bird decided she need to wash the grime and sweat from her skin. She looked around to see if anyone was watching and she began to remove her jacket followed by the rest of her clothes and shoes and folded them in a neat pile on the bank finally she stood in her underwear and slowly began to wade into the water. At first she took a great gasp of air as the water was amazingly cold but after a few minutes she began to swim around in the pool, enjoying the delicious feel of the cool water against her skin. She spent a few minutes cleaning off the dirt and grime and made sure all her scratches were clean before swimming a little while longer. She realised she would have to get out at some point; she needed to find food and shelter before dark. Bird got out of the water and carefully dressed. She sat for a while on the bank deciding what she needed to do and decided to follow the river and see where it led to. Dusting herself down she got up and began to follow the small river downstream hoping she would find some sort of shelter, she didn't relish the thought of having to build one. She was exhausted after fighting the forest trees and her swim had made her even more tired. Feeling like she could fall asleep where she stood, she carefully picked her way down the bank. She walked and walked until finally finding a small sandy embankment where she could see around her and be sheltered by the bank itself. A fire was needed next, not knowing how cold it was going to get, a fire was necessary. It might even keep predators away although to be honest she hadn't actually heard much wildlife apart from birds chirping and insects buzzing.

She went into the edge of the forest and found herself some small saplings which she pulled up and took down to the river bank and began piling them over the embankment and burying the ends in the sand forming a sort of lean to and then she collected branches and placed them across giving her some shelter. Next she collected some kindling and dry branches and twigs to feed her fire for the night. Last but not least she searched the under growth for berries , these would have to do for now as these trees didn't seem to be the fruit kind, hoping she would find food the next day Bird set about sorting her camp fire. She collected some large boulders from the edge of the river and made a large circle. Then she went about putting kindling onto the base of the fire with some dried grass that had had found. Satisfied with that she then sat by the unlit fire and took off her boots and socks. She then reached for two small branches. One she snapped in half and laid it between her feet, cradling it. Bird then took the next branch and between her hands began to twist it back a forth in her hands creating a hollow in the halved branch.

"Ok" Bird said out loud "Now comes the hard work". She stretched her arms and then began the same motion twisting the stick in her hands, but quicker than before, her tongue appeared between her teeth as she concentrated on her task. After five minutes and no result she sat back.

"I'm really out of practise" She said out loud again. Then bent back down to her task rubbing the stick into the other. After another five minutes a small amount of smoke began to appear. Bird quickly reached into the ready fire and picked up a few bits of dry grass and placed them on the part of the branch she was rubbing and tried again. She carried on until finally smoke appeared again and she began to blow softly. A small bright orange ember appeared and she fed it with more grass. More thicker smoke appeared and more grass was added and then as if by magic a small flame appeared. Bird quickly placed it with the other kindling at the bottom of her fire and she began to blow. The small flame glowed and then a fire appeared. Bird blew on the fire and finally it took hold. A small fire developed and Bird fed it with small twigs eventually adding small branches. Bird looked at her hands, they were red and small blisters had appeared in the centre of her palms. This would have to do for tonight. She would have to find something to protect them with tomorrow. Barefoot she approached the water and washed her hands in the river. Night was not too far away as a sunset bled through the tops of the trees turning the water in to a flowing ribbon of oranges and pinks. Bird returned to her makeshift shelter and sat at the entrance. Watching the sun in the sky she ate a few of the berries. They tasted ok so she hoped she wouldn't end up poisoned, that was all she needed now. Bird yawned the excursions of the day were catching up with her and she felt weary. On all fours she climbed into her shelter and got herself comfortable, using her jacket as a blanket. She felt safe in her little den but then her thoughts turned to Eli and Destiny. She had been so preoccupied during the day she hadn't had time to wonder how they were. She missed her little garden and the gelms. Most of all she missed the new friends she had made. Her face became sad and she turned over onto her side. Tears began to slowly make their way down her cheeks. She loved Eli and she missed him. He had done so much for her and given her a chance when others wouldn't. She wondered if he felt the same way about her. Then she wondered about Lisa and if her sight had returned. Franklyn's face suddenly entered her thoughts and shattered any good feeling she had.

"One day" She said to herself "One day." She closed her eyes, tired and weary she nestled down into her pillow of grasses and moss. Tears escaped from her closed eyes and her lip trembled, she was determined to get back to Destiny one way or another. That was her home and there was no way she was letting Franklyn win. She tossed and turned on her rough bed until finally she began to drift off to sleep.

Crack! Bird opened her eyes but didn't move. She could hear movement on the embankment above her makeshift shelter. Crack! Another twig snapped. Bird slowly turned her head towards the noise. Whatever it was, it didn't sound very big. Well at least that's what she hoped. She could hear whatever it was sniffing around in the shrub. Bird slowly let out the breath she had been holding. She turned her head again trying to locate exactly where the animal or whatever it was, had gone.

All of a sudden the animal exploded through the roof of Birds refuge and landed square on her chest. "Aaaaarggg!" screamed Bird. At the same time the small animal screamed "Wwwwaaarrrrrgh."

Then they both stopped again at the same time. Bird looked into the dark eyes, of a furry animal about as big as a small dog. But in the dark couldn't make any features out.

"Nice animal" She said in a sing song voice, trying to reassure the animal that she was harmless and hoping at the same time, it was too. "I'm just going to move over here"

She slowly rolled over onto her side letting the animal roll off and it scuttled into the corner and looked at her. Slowly, ever so slowly Bird knocked the door open on her hide away and began to inch her way out bit by bit, keeping her eyes on the animal as she went until she was completely outside and she ran a few feet away and sat on the sandy bank. She looked back to her shelter and saw the animal beginning to emerge slowly, only peeking at first, and then beginning to emerge further into what was a night lit by a full bright moon. Bird turned away slowly and hoped the animal was moving away and leaving her in peace. She looked across the river and watched the water for a while before turning back and seeing that the animal had gone. She let out a sigh of relief that was echoed next to her, on the side that she hadn't been looking. Bird took in a gasp of air and looked slowly to her other side. There sat the animal copying the way she was sitting, and looking across the water. Then it turned to her and looked her straight in the eye "Warg" it said simply and then began to snuggle up to Bird. Bird instinctively held up her arm and the 'warg' nestled in and Bird wrapped her arm tentatively around it.

Bird sat there not knowing what to do. As a farmer she knew to cherish the animals she looked after but she had no idea what this fluffy thing was. She looked down and inspected the creature. It was the size of a small dog and came to just under her armpit, where it now seemed to be sleeping. It looked to be a tan colour in the moonlight and it was covered in short fur. It had sticky out ears that sat on the side of its head like a dog, but it didn't have a long snout like one. Its face seemed to be round like her own, with a small button nose and around its closed eyes were extremely long lashes. It had a very small snout on which perched the button nose and under that a small mouth. She looked at its hands. The forelimbs carried talon like claws which jutted out from longer fur on the end of its fingers or paws she wasn't sure which and couldn't see the hind limbs at all. She didn't know whether it walked on all fours or whether it was bipedal because she hadn't even realised it had walked down the bank until it had nestled into her side. Now Bird wondered what to do next. Did she disturb it? Or did she stay where she was. She looked back at her shelter and longed for sleep. That decided it. Still supporting the creature/warg she began to get to her knees. Then slowly she slipped her hand under its back legs and cradled it like a child, before getting slowly to her feet, her thighs screaming at the exertion, and slowly walked to her shelter. Slowly she bent down and made her way inside and just as carefully she laid the poor creature out. Like a child it never moved and when she put it on the other half of her bed it simply turned over. Bird replaced the door way and lay down beside the creature/ warg and nestled together Bird put her head on her pillow and closed her eyes to finally rest. Within minutes she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Something was snuffling around her face and totally ruining the great dream she was having

"Go 'way!" Bird mumbled but the snuffling went on. Eventually she opened one eye to see the Warg trying to lick her face. "Oooo . Put that away!" She said as she struggled to get up. Immediately the Warg ran through the open door of her makeshift tent. Bird threw herself back on her pillow of moss and grass and sighed. She was still exhausted but it was another day and she decided to get up. As she did, she heard a chattering and a howling. She threw on her jacket and raced outside, thinking someone was seriously hurt, only to see the Warg chasing a chipmunk like creature, around a beautiful pile of seeds and nuts. Eventually the small rodent gave up and chattered its way to the trees. The warg patted the pile fixing it and then sat proudly next to it. Bird took a good look at it; it was even arranged in colours! Wow, thought Bird that was really clever for what she thought was a dumb animal. If the Warg had a tail she was sure it would have been wagging it. The Warg ran to Bird and then back to the pile. Bird made her way towards it and sat. The Warg knocked off some of the fruit and placed it in front of her, then nudged it towards her. Bird was amazed.

"You want me to eat this?" She asked. The Warg just sat there and waited. Slowly she picked up one of the small fruits and rubbed off any dirt she could see and inspected it. Would it be safe to eat, she thought to herself. Well here goes nothing and she took a small bite. For the second time that morning the only word that came to her was wow! It was delicious! The fruit was so sweet and juicy, just what she needed to pick her up in the morning. She took another bite and savoured it. The Warg sat patiently and waited. With a mouthful of fruit Bird exclaimed "This is gorgeous! Thank you!"

Then she took hold of a similar piece of fruit from the pile and offered it to the Warg. "Here you go, you've earned it" The Warg took a bite and sat back on its haunches and savoured the fruit. The pair of them spent a while just feasting off the Wargs early morning present.

"You do know I'm going to have to move on, don't you?" Said Bird sadly "I'm going to have to leave you"

The Warg just looked at her. Bird felt sad, sad because she was tired of leaving people behind. She began to make preparations to leave. She found some reeds and began to weave them. Once she had quite a large square she found herself a stick, a long strong one, which would sit on her shoulders. Then she took more fruit and nuts from the pile and put them in. Then she threaded the four corners onto the stick forming a sack, which she could swing over her shoulders. Once her preparations were made she turned to the Warg. "I'm leaving now" She said and patted the Warg on the head before turning to leave.

At first, the Warg just sat there, watching her go, then it took to its heels and caught up with her.

"You do know that I don't know where I'm going and it could get a bit dangerous?" She remarked to the Warg who was trotting beside her quite happily. "I won't be coming back this way either" She concluded. The Warg looked at her and carried on walking with her.

"You need to go home" She said firmly "Go on shoo. I know you've helped me but I can't be responsible for you"

The Warg looked a little shocked and stood still, whilst Bird began walking away. She felt so guilty, but she didn't know what dangers were ahead, she didn't know what they would come up against. It wouldn't be fair, she thought to herself. As she walked she could hear a mournful wail, quiet at first but then beginning to build in volume.

She stopped but didn't want to look around. She knew that she didn't want to be responsible for another creature or human being or any being for that matter. She heard the Wargs wails building in pitch, until she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Ok…Ok… You can come with me!" Bird shouted over her shoulder. Then she stood and waited. The Warg quietened but didn't move. Bird turned in the direction of the Warg. "I said ok, you can come with me." She patted her thigh. "Come on then!" The Warg didn't need telling twice. It broke into an all-out run and bounded towards her finally reaching her and grabbing her knees. The wind was knocked out of her and she found herself sprawled on the floor, with the Warg sat above her.

"You can get off now" She volunteered. Any minute now she knew she was going to get the licking of her life, so she began to scramble up, patting the dust off her as she stood.

"But let me tell you one thing!" She said, as she finished getting the dust off herself. "I am not going to be responsible for you. Do you hear me? I'm letting you travel with me for a while. That's all!"

The Warg looked up at her, with almost a smile. Bird patted the animals head. "Come on, we've got to cover some ground today"

And so the two of them began their journey through the foothills of this new place, the place Bird was to call home for a while. As they walked Bird realised she was walking downhill and she took a look back. She could see the trees spreading behind her and realised she was on a foothill of some mountain. The weather was getting warmer and now she realised why. She was descending and if it was warm up there it was going to be roasting wherever they were going.

The river was getting wider and flowing ever faster as it too flowed down, the small mountain side. It turned and weaved through the trees so Bird couldn't see clearly where she was heading, just that it was downwards and getting warmer.

They soon settled into a routine of setting off early in a morning and then resting in the middle of the day away from the ever increasing heat. By late afternoon they were back on their way. They munched on berries, as they walked, found the day before. There were long comfortable silences as they walked. By the time that the sunlight disappeared, Bird had built a rough shelter from fallen branches, found stones to build a safe surround for a small fire and made them a small encampment. The Warg quite often went off into the forest and foraged, it brought back nuts and berries in a bag Bird had woven from grass as they travelled. It felt good, Bird thought she had a routine, she had a companion and she was travelling. She liked to be able to be in the great outdoors but then her thoughts turned to Destiny and Eli. Poor Eli, she thought to herself. She hoped he was ok and her poor Gelms. She did miss those birds and their eggs. She missed their little clucking noises and them coming to her to be petted. Bird sat there day dreaming and stoking the fire around with a stick, when she realised she could still hear birds! She looked up into the early evening sky and saw a huge flock of birds flying over. She hadn't seen birds, although she had a heard a few every now and again in the forest. She wondered absently where they might be heading. So far she had stayed at the edge of the forest and the river and hadn't wanted to wander in. It wasn't that it didn't look inviting but she feared getting lost. She didn't have her powers to rescue her. She really wondered how people without powers navigated. This was totally new and a steep learning curve. She had a new companion too. Her mind drifted again as she wondered if she give it a name and then thought…it? She didn't even know if it was a male or female! She would have to think of something to call the poor Warg, mind you Warg seemed to fit and the animal answered to it. So be it Warg it was then! Bird looked around her and wondered where Warg had got to?

It was then that she saw a small sliver of smoke high in the air. She sniffed the air then and realised she could small fire! She had been sat so close to the fire engrossed in her own thoughts she hadn't noticed! Where was Warg? She looked about her and then began to shout.

"Warg! Warg! Come on I think we have to leave now!"

There was no response. Bird decided to step in to the forest and make a quick reconnoitre. She bashed through under growth, shouting Warg as she went. The smell of fire coming ever stronger although she hadn't seen any smoke yet. She stood still and listened. She could hear something coming through the undergrowth and then she heard warg.

"Warg! Warg!" Warg shouted and then continued to make whining noises.

Next minute Bird was thrown off her feet as Warg bowled right into her in its haste to get back to camp. Once more it sat on her chest looking into her eyes. "Warg!" It said at the top of its voice. The pair of them scrambled up and made their way to the edge of the forest. It was becoming darker now and Bird could almost make out and orange glow in the sky. The smoke was not wispy any more instead it was curling ever higher in a great billowing cloud.

"We have to get out of here fast!" Bird shouted to the Warg. The two of them began to hurry, not exactly running but not exactly a walk. They knew they both had to move with a sense of urgency. The fire wasn't with them yet but Bird knew how fast fires could travel and the devastation they brought with them. They continued hurrying down the river's edge. The night was beginning to fall and it was getting darker. They hurried on. Night fell and only for the fact that there was a moon to partially light their way, they could just about see where they were going, until suddenly their way was barred. A huge platform of rock seemed to have reared out of the ground, shutting off their path completely. Bird looked into the trees at their side and realised there weren't many. They had been hurrying in the semi darkness and hadn't realised they had been running along the edge of this rock for quite a while. The path had still been grassed and some trees had grown at the edge of this rock but the rock emerged above the small clumps of trees, glistening in the moonlight.

"Why me? "Bird stated to no one in particular. "Just for once could you make things a little easier?" The Warg looked on, wondering who she was talking to. Bird looked up at the sky and shook her fist at it. "I hope you're having fun, because I'm not!" At this point she stamped her foot. Bird looked around her. Warg looked around to, wondering what Bird was looking at. Finally she sat down, exasperated.

"We've got to find a way back or a way out. I don't fancy going back there, so it's going to have to be a way out" She looked up at the trees and the rock. "I don't think it's going to be that way either" She stated glumly. She looked about her again. What she wouldn't do to get her powers back right now and go home. She thought there were two options. She could sit it out with Wag and hope the fire didn't overtake them or they had to get out. Staying here might be ok, she thought to herself although the fire could get to where they were and the smoke and heat would be enough to kill them. Ok that option was out. The second was to get out. They could possibly climb the trees but that might take them into the fire and maybe the rock was a drop on the other side. Bird took a deep breath. The only thing they could do was to get out of here. She looked at the river, which was a lot wider than further up. No doubt it was deeper too. Although it didn't seem to flow, too fast. Maybe they cold float or swim down the river. It was cold though and could Warg swim. She looked at him and doubted it. Could she build a raft? She thought to herself, maybe not. There weren't enough trees. Bird got up and walked to the small copse of trees and looked at them. Then she had an idea. Wood floated. Tree trunks floated. So what if they could find something that floated and hold onto it in the river and float with it. A big branch would be enough.

She began to search through the branches and undergrowth but nothing seemed to be big enough. The dark wasn't helping either the she fell over a small tree trunk. Yes! This what she wanted. She got hold of one end and began to pull but it wouldn't budge. It was entangled in the undergrowth. Bird began tearing away at the undergrowth and Warg realising what she was doing began to help. After almost half an hour of struggling and clearing Bird and Warg managed to release the tree. It was long but it would do the job. Bird now wondered whether to wait till morning or to go now. She could smell the fire but still couldn't hear it. She hadn't seen any other animals scurrying away and there still wasn't a lot of smoke.

Bird decided she wasn't going to wait. She hauled the small tree trunk towards the edge of the water and began to push it into the water. The she walked in a little way and began to use the fact that it floated to get it further into the water. Just before it floated totally in the water she looked at Warg.

"Come on" She encouraged "We don't have a choice. Climb in"

Warg walked up and down at the edge of the water clearly distressed. Bird realised with a sinking heart Warg wasn't used to water and maybe the fear of the water was greater than that of the fire.

"Come on you will be safe with me" She urged. Still Warg marched up and down the bank becoming more and more distressed. Bird made sure the tree trunk was stuck in the muddy bank and got out of the water.

"Come here you "She said as she picked up the surprised animal and manoeuvred it onto her back so she was now in affect giving Warg a piggy back. She began to wade back into the water slowly, the poor Warg almost strangling her. "Calm down" She soothed. "It's going to be just fine. You hold on tight"

She then shifted the tree off the bank and began to float it further into the river and clinging on for dear life let the tree begin to float with the current of the river. At first everything was fine. The current was still slow and lazy. Warg began to calm a little. Although wet and cold Bird instilled confidence to the warg as they began to move. Bird clung onto the tree as best she could and kicked her feet to give it direction. They began to float down river. At first everything was fine. Bird could see the glow was nearer and the smoke thicker. It had been masked by the rock face. Her choice had been right. Warg settled holding onto Birds shoulders and beginning to enjoy the ride. Lazily they floated down stream for about twenty minutes. The fire disappeared behind them. The smell of smoke receded and Bird decided they had travelled enough. Her legs were becoming numb with the cold. They needed to get back to the bank.

Bird began to kick with her feet and turn the tree trunk towards the bank. At first the trunk began to move, then suddenly like some great hand had grabbed the tree it began to turn slowly towards the centre of the river. Bird kicked for all she was worth but sill the tree trunk floated in the opposite direction. Then it swung back towards the bank. Bird clung on tightly. "Don't you worry Warg" She said in a soothing voice "We'll be out of here in no time". She tried to kick again. The tree trunk carried on its way down river, only now it was picking up speed and travelling faster and faster. They came to a bend in the river and Bird hoped they would swing into the bank on the opposite side. But some invisible force took hold once more and tree trunk and its passengers were directed into the main flow of the now gushing river.

Bird looked ahead and saw rocks. Finally salvation she thought to herself and prepared to use the rocks as a means of stopping the trunk travelling any further. As they neared the rocks the river seemed to flow faster and faster. Bird tried in vain to steer the tree into the rocks but it just bounced off and carried on going faster and faster. Warg was getting more and more distressed as now water was washing over the pair of them. He began to scream. "Warg! Warg!" Bird was beginning to lose her grip on the trunk as she and Warg were flung around from rock to rock, occasionally being ducked under the water, filling the Wargs mouth every time he screamed. Birds hands became numb with the cold and she didn't know how much longer she could hold on. They were being thrown from rock to rock, from deep water to shallower. Bird knew she had to get away from the tree trunk and let go. The tree would be the death of her if she didn't.

They were bounced into a smaller, shallower pool of water and Bird took her chance. She let go of the tree and hoped the Warg wasn't going to lose his grip and let the water taker her further downstream. Now they floated , all be it with speed. The Warg was almost on top of Birds head, pushing her down in the water. It was then that she saw the huge rock come flying towards her and Warg. There was nothing she could do to stop it. The last thing she saw was the rock hurtling towards her face. Then nothing. Just blackness.


End file.
